Nintendo DSL for Kids?

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Okay…I thought I’d run this question by some Catholic parents and see what the consensus is. We have two kids. Sarah is fifteen, and Stephen is almost ready to turn eleven. Both of them have asked for Nintendo DSLs for Christmas, but we’ve been hesitant. Cost isn’t so much as an issue as grandparents like to always chip in on things, but I think these particular game systems isolate the kids more than traditional video games. I’m also thinking that it may be harder to regulate the time spent playing the games than when they have the older game system connected to the television.

I am one of those people who can’t get around the element of isolation with regards to so many of today’s electronic devices–not to mention the loss in vocabulary from not sending real letters and reading as many good books. These toys and gadgets are cool and fun, but are there real concerns for these kinds of personal game systems? Be interested in your opinions. Thanks!
 
Forget the DS…it is isolating. Get a Nintendo Wii. It is so much more interactive. EVERYONE can play and have fun. A wii will run you about $350 for the system and a game, but a ds for 2 will be about 300. I am telling you…the wii is fun and interactive. We have both. Plus, it is nearly impossible to just sit there and play. It forces you to move while playing a game.🙂

Have you heard of wii fit?

OH< you can also track the amount of time each individual plays and you can surf the net from it.
 
I believe there are gonna be some new DS out next year. So the ones you would get now might be obsolete. I would get a Wii. I have one and love using it…
 
Both of them have asked for Nintendo DSLs for Christmas, but we’ve been hesitant.
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Trust your gut level on this one, I wished I had of. Bought one for 11yr old dd last birthday -it’s all she wanted, wasn’t interested in anything else. After having searched high and low for ‘THAT’ particular game to go with it, she ended up being really bored with it after only a day of having it. So ended up trading it in for another and then another and then yet another! She ended up being bored with all the games that were on offer. We ended up selling it on Ebay and she bought something else that she was far more happier with. On the other hand, I have two teenage boys and when they were younger, really enjoyed the ‘gameboys’ as they played pokemon mostly on it and were able to share and trade with other friends. That’s probably not the ‘in’ thing anymore - don’t know. Just know with the boys, they seemed to thrive on electronics and dd just isn’t interested. Both boys have their own laptops now and seem so in command of what they do - they teach me and think it’s great. So much creativity - they have developed their own web pages, worked for others online, in helping them with design and info - all related to their own particular interests. One ds is now an amateur photographer and saved up from his work to buy himself a proffessional camera. He can’t decide if he wants to become a photographer, a filmmaker or professional musician. The other ds wants to become a graphic artist.

So as long as they’re pursuing interests, I don’t have a problem with it. We also bought a Wii for them all last Christmas and this has definitely had more family entertainment value.

Hope this helps in your decision making!
 
All my DD wanted for her birthday was a DS, I refused for the same reasons. So for Christmas she asks Dad and he got her One!!! He also got one for the seven year old!He is normally the tough one, his rational is Chrismas and Birthdays they shoud get someting they REALLY want!:mad: He grew up really poor, so this is a big deal to him.
I already decided they cant have them in thier rooms and I can easily confiscate it if she gets out of hand with it.
The wierd thing is my DH wont even let the kids read alone in thier rooms for too long thinking thats isolateing. I guess he cant help himself.
 
We got our son a sony personal playstation (PSP) and he’s done fine with it. We picked this, instead of the DS, because it can play MP3’s and videos, great for LONG trips and more fun than just an MP3 player. He moderates himself on it pretty well, and loves to play Old Time Radio shows on it 😃 esp at night. He lets his older sisters play with it sometimes, with supervision. He also reads, a lot, so this hasn’t cut into his learning time. I do wish it could fix his sloppy writing, lol, but not much can do that 😛

We also have a Wii and a Playstation 3 (we had lots of playstation 2 games and it finally broke)–yes, we’re game geeks, lol. The kids play with them together, along with Dad and sometimes Mom (I’m not very good, I miss Pac Man! but I do love the Wii). We don’t have cable or any TV (netflix), so we feel okay with this, I know not every family would.

So my point is, the game doesn’t have to be isolating. If your son is bad a self regulating and tends toward obsession, then I wouldn’t do it. You could also institute rules about when and how long and where he can play it.
 
Thank you for all the great comments! My wife and I are going to read them more thoroughly after Mass, but this will be a help!
 
Three of my four kids have them and they love them. Isolating? No way (not for my kids anyways) my kids sit side by side and play them and watch over the others shoulders and so many of the games come with a feature where if one is playing the other player (if they sit side by side) can play with them, they have to stay close for the other to pick up the game… so they are always laughing and having a blast.
We have a rule about any video games in our house… homework first, chores and then one hour during the week on video games and mom or dad sets the timer for each kid. On the weekends it is the same but they can have two hours and usually they will do one hour in the a.m. and one hour in the p.m.
If the kids don’t obey in the rules… the games are easily taken for one week:D
It all depends on how you look at it… you could tell your kids that you will get them one if they agree to your terms on the game and then you set up the rules, our kids are not allowed to play the games alone in their rooms, they must remain in the family room, our kids understood these rules before we ever bought them so it has never been an issue.
Anyways… good luck:)
 
My 10 y/o has one and really likes it. We have limits such as no electronics during the school week, but that includes all electronics. When he gets a new game he is pretty much focused on it, but then like all things he moves on to other things. We also have a WII. I do like that it is interactive with others, but it can also be played alone. The DS is great for long travels. I do not allow it on short trips around town. It just depends on how involved you want to be with making and keeping the rules. It can be a great motivator. Such as if you want to have DS time then you have to do a, b, or c. The same goes for the WII. I think in the end the WII will have less isolationism. The down side of the WII is the games are so expensive and the initial outlay of money is quite high. A DS runs around $120 and the basic WII is $249. Of course there could be some deals around Thanksgiving. I think we got a bundle package from Sam’s Club. It may only come with one remote. So you would need at least another one for them to play together. It can support up to 4 remotes, so for some games 4 people can play together.
 
I have one and so does my 5 year old (he got it for Christmas when he was 4).

Not really sure about the isolation stuff as 90% of the time he plays it we play together in multiplay mode (it’s got built in wireless).

My now 4 year old broke my though a few months ago and turly we haven’t played much since. We never played a great deal but usually for a couple of hours once every few weeks it was a blast and something we could do together.

There are also some really fun brain teaser and logic games, I know a number of adults who have them besides myself. I take it with me when I travel for something to do on the plane.

Joe
 
I think the DS games can become isolating and a problem, but only if you allow it. Just like most things, there is nothing wrong with the DS in moderation.

I will echo the sentiment about the Wii. We have one and my 4,6,8,and 10 year old daughters absolutely love playing the wii with each other and with my wife and I. The games my kids have for the Wii are not the kind that lend to isolation, but rather encourage group/family play.

–Rico
 
Just wanted to share that we decided to go with the WII. Thanks again for the advice and comments–it was a big help in making our decision.
 
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